Using a Menstrual Cup While Camping

It seems like nearly every time we go camping, it coincides with getting my period. It’s literally a pain because I get migraines and I’d rather not have an extra thing to manage, but at least using a menstrual cup makes camping with my period relatively stress free.

Menstrual cups are an environmentally friendly way of managing periods. They are flexible, re-usable silicon cups that you place inside, like a tampon, but instead of absorbing the blood, the cup collects it. You can then tip out the menstrual blood and reinsert the cup.

It might seem like this would be harder to manage away from home but it isn’t too bad and is actually nicer than dealing with disposable tampons and pads in the bush with very basic facilities or none at all, and in weather conditions ranging from very hot to very wet.

The first major advantage is that they are safe enough to leave in for up to 12 hours, according to your flow, and are discreet (no tampon string hanging out, or changing every 4 hours). So immediately you get to worry less and just have fun doing your planned activities, like swimming, hiking, and kayaking. Or just relaxing.

There’s no need to bring a supply of pads or tampons which then have to be stored after use, carried out, and disposed of later (don’t bury them or leave them behind as that is not environmentally friendly). And you don’t have to stress about keeping unused products clean and dry in your pack.

To use a menstrual cup when camping, you just need to find a secluded place to do your business. Take a water bottle with you for washing, some toilet paper, and a light if it’s night time.

Dig a small hole, wash your hands before removing the cup, empty the cup into the hole, and then rinse the cup with clean water. You might also want to wipe the cup down with toilet paper. Then you just reinsert, cover the hole and off you go.

When my period has finished, I do a complete clean of the cup at home by immersing it in boiling water for five minutes. But if you’re camping for a long time, it’s easy to sterilise the cup using your camping stove and pot.

If you want more detail about menstrual cups, check out my earlier blog here.

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2 thoughts

Reading your blog this morning was like reading something I had written. Period always timing in with camping and getting migranes along with it and trying to be zero waste. Lol. Only I haven’t had success with the cups Ive tried. They wriggle their way out no matter how good I think I’ve got the suction. I’ve tried when I don’t have my period to see if that makes a difference and no. Any tips?

Lol, I’m sure heaps of nature loving women can empathise with us. 🙂 Now that you mention it, the cup does slide down by the end of the day as it fills but I take it as an indication to empty. I wish I could offer you a tip to try but unfortunately I don’t have any for that. We will have to google for an answer 😉.

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Tammy Logan is the author of Gippsland Unwrapped, a blog committed to the pursuit of plastic and waste free living. Based in Gippsland, Victoria Tammy combines her experience in conservation biology and community engagement with her dairy farming roots, to deliver a humble and honest approach to plastic and waste free family life. Tammy wants to prove that living sustainably results in a more meaningful life and that as consumers, our buying power can be a strong force for positive change.